Wood slicing machine



Jan. 10, 1950 w. s. COREY ET AL 2,493,914

WOOD SLICING MACHINE Filed April 23, 1946 INVENTORS:

W- 6'. Corey, B A.B. waif,

' .5. Nat? a rrow/v5! Patented Jan. 10, 195

WOOD SLICING MACHINE William S. Corey, Tujunga, and Arthur B. Watt and Robert B. Watt, San Fernando, Calif.

Application April 23, 1946, Serial No. 664,222

2 Claims. (Cl. 144 193) 'This invention relates to a device for cutting blocks of wood into'pieces suitable for use in furnaces or fireplaces.

Several devices have been developed which split blocks of wood mechanically in somewhat the same way that an axe is manually operated. In other words, such devices depend mostly on the initial force of a blow to split the wood. While such machines may be found effective, they are also extremely dangerous to handle, and for this reason are not often found in public use. This is due to the fact that the force of the blow causes the parts of the block to fly away from the machine atvery high speed in the directions in which the attendants are likely to be stationed.

. 2 This mechanism oomprisesa pair of standards l, 8 which are suitably mounted on the aforenamed beams by 'means of bolts, as indicated in the drawings, or through the medium of a welding operation, if preferred. These standards terminate at the top in bearings for a pivot 9, on which a'lever I0 is hung for oscillating movement. A knife H depends from one end of this lever and a roller I2 is mounted for rotation within a bracket l3, which latter is fastened to the underside of thelever at the opposite end thereof. On

" In view of the foregoing, it is the general object of the present invention to provide a machine designed slowly to slice the blocks of wood into pieces of predetermined size. Blocks of wood such as are commonly cut for firewood are usually roughly sawed out of logs and, because roughly sawed, it is generally found that the ends of the blocks are not parallel but unevenly slanting in any direction, and this is a condition which adds to the difiiculty of cutting wood blocks for firewood and which in the aforenamed conventional type of chopping machine contributes to the danger of operating such machines.

In view of the foregoing, it is the further object of this invention to provide a movable support for the block of wood to be cut, by means of which each block has freedom to move into whichever direction it is urged by the knife slicing through the wood.

These and. further objects, as well as the many other advantageous features of the machine, will be best understood from the following detailed description and by referring to the drawings, of which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a device embodying the invention, and with parts thereof broken away for the sake of clearness; Fig. 2 is a substantially corresponding plan view of the greater portion of the device; and

Fig. 3 is a front view of the slicing element of the device and the framing upon which this element is supported, and is taken substantially on line 33 of Fig. 1.

The slicing mechanism of the invention is, in

the drawings, shown mounted on a trailer frame l which is supported on wheels 2, 3 and provided at the front end with a forwardly projecting tongue for connection to a towing vehicle. But while this combination forms a convenient support for a portable wood-slicing machine, it is to be understood that any other suitable type of support may be provided. The body of the trailer is composed of parallel beams 5, 6, which combine to form a platform upon which the slicing mechanism is mounted to operate.

a shaft 20 belowsaid roller is mounted a cam 2| for rotation with said shaft, and this cam is so shaped that during rotation thereof in counterclockwise direction, it will slowly move the knife from its upperposition, as indicated in full line in Fig. 1, to the bottom position shown in dotted outline in the same view. It is furthermore important to note that the cam surface gradually rises radiallyfrom the center thereof so as to substantially uniformly increase the speed of movement of the knife; also, that once the knife hasreached its bottom position the cam suddenly drops away so as to permit the lever to return quickly to its initial position.

Such. return movement may be effected by making the rear end of the lever slightly heavier than its front end, and this is the arrangement which, for the sake of simplicity, is contemplated in the present disclosure; but it is of course possible to provide spring pressure forthis purpose, if found preferable.

It is an important feature of the present invention that the knife moves into the block to be out very slowly so as to slice the block into pieces ratherthan to chop it, and it is necessary for this purpose to provide speed-reducing devices between the cam and the prime mover which is depended upon to rotate the cam. Any type of prime mover maybe used, whether it be an internal combustion engine or an electric motor, and it is for this reason not thought necessary to burden the present description with a description thereof, but it isthought sufficient to state that a suitable prime mover is. enclosed withina casing 22. in the rear end of .the trailer platform and that this prime mover rotates a shaft 23, on which is mounted a pulley or sprocket 24 and the latter is, by means of a. belt or chain 25, connected to rotate a larger pulley or sprocket 26. of a shaft 21. A gearpinion 28 .is mounted, to. rotate with this shaft at the. opposite end thereof and it is in permanent mesh with a large gear wheel 29 of the cam shaft 20. By meansof such instrumentalities it is seen that the cam may be rotated to swing the knife lever as above described, but any other suitable connections may be substituted if preferred.

As above stated, because the end surfaces of the blocks to be out are not often square with the grain of the wood or parallel, it is necessary to provide means whereby the block is free to yield in the direction into which itsparticular shape urges it. Such means takes a'form of a' turntable 30, which is mounted on the forward end of the trailer platform and which is free tor rotate at all times on suitable bearingssuch ,as It is important to note, however, that this turntable isset off to. one side,

balls or rollers 2 I.

as indicated in Fig. 2, in order that pressureof the knife against the block of .wood A to be out may result in rotation of this turntable incase the upper surface of the block is not square with the grain of the wood or parallel with the top surface of the turntable. If theknife were positioned directly above the center of theturn table, there would be little or no tendencyto rotate the tableso as torelieve side pressure against the knife, but a tendency would be present to twist the knife and so to place an undue strain on the lever suspending structure and on the mechanism for oscillating the knife. I V It is to be understood that it is not herein attempted to suggest the exact distance that the turntable is offset relative to the knife, but'merely to indicate that such arrangement is essential in order to permit the knife toslide effectively through the block of wood. In ordinary wood chopping such arrangement is, of course, not required because it is, as above stated, the initial blow against the end of the block which results in the splitting of it, but in this case as in all cases whereslicing is to be done, it'is absolutely necessary that the, knife and the block to be sliced are properly guided and directed. Side strain against the knife was above referred to and because some such side strain will be present in any machine of the type herein considered it is found advisable to mount plates [5, IE on the bottom surface of the lever to ride against the innersurfaces of the standards .1, 8 as best shown in Fig. 3, and the lower portion of these plates may be conveniently held spaced apartby means of a stud ll.

The introduction of the freely .rotatable turntable adds another advantageous feature to the machine in that it facilitates handling of large blocks thereon. On a stationary table it would be difiicult, even for two operators to shift the block about, but in the present device, one operator can handle large blocks since he merely needs to rotate the table until the block is re-- duced to asize which is easily handled. The shape of the knife ,is important as indicated in Fig. 3. The .lower end It thereofis made as thin as consistent. with the strength required for slicing blocks .or wood and it is shown slightly tapered, the taper thereof continuing through approximately one'whalf of the full height of the blade. The upper half portion .of the blade flares outward more rapidlyuntil it reaches the lower edges of the lever I 0, to which it is fas tened in any suitable manner, as by a welding operation. When so shaped it isnseen. that, in

entering the block of woodand passingthrough a portion thereof, merely sufficient taper is given the blade to make certain that it will not become jammed within the block; ,also that, as the more rapidly flaring sides of the upper half portion of the knife enter the block, there is an increas ing tendency to split the'block apart. It is for this reason ordinarily found that the separating parts of the block fall apart before the knife reaches the bottom of its stroke. It is, however, important to note that this separation is so gradual that the parts merely drop onto the turntable, so that the operator may quickly pick them up or push them aside to land on whatever devices may be employed to carry the firewood away from the machine.

Further to strengthen the support for the knife lever, it may be found advantageous to place inc'lined braces l8, IS on the trailer platform to ex- ,tend to the upper end of the standards I, 8, thereby to obtain a more rigid structure. It is also found necessary, when the trailer is disconnected from the traction vehicle, to support one or both ends thereof in proper horizontal position. This may be done in any convenient manner and the placing of a sawhorse B under the turntable is merely illustrative of such supporting means.

. ,As above stated, any suitable prime mover may be employed, but it is quite essential that the mechanism be so arranged that the control there of may be effected from a point adjacent the turntable where all the operations of loading, siicing,,and unloading are performed. A lever 33 is'for this purpose shown mounted on the trailer 25 platform adjacent the turntable, and this lever is by means of a rod 34 connected to operate a clutch within the casing 22 (not shown). When such connections are provided it is possible for the operator at the turntable to control the starting and stopping of the machine as may be required during the operation thereof.

, We claim:

. l. A wood slicing machine comprising, a platform, a lever pivotally mounted intermediate its end for oscillating movement in a vertical plane on said platform, a knife secured to one end of said lever, acam mounted for rotation on the platform in position to engage the opposite end of the lever, means for rotating said cam at low speed, the cam being shaped to commence adframing the knife at the lowest speed thereupon gradually to increase the speed of advancement thereof and to free the lever for quick return movement at'the end of the advance movement 4 thereof, and a wood block supporting turntable mounted on said platform below the knife and freely rotatable on the platform, said turntable.

being offset to one side relative to the center line of the lever and knife.

2 In a wood slicing machine a platform, a lever mounted on said platform for oscillating movement in a vertical plane, a knife secured to one end of said lever, a. cam on the platform positioned to engage the opposite end of the lever, means for slowly rotating said cam to swing the lever, thereby to advance said knife, the cam being shaped to release the lever for quick return movement at the end of the forward movement of the knife, and a turntable freely rotatable on the platform directly below the knife, the turntable being set off to one side relative to the vertical plane of the knife.

WILLIAM S. COREY. ARTHUR B. WATT. ROBERT B. WATT.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 39,420 Pierce Aug. 1, 1863 108,883 Coogan. Nov. 1, 1870 1,358,556 Johnson et al Nov. 9, 1920 

